Inkjet printer having an image drum heater with heater seals

Abstract

An inkjet offset printer includes a heated drum assembly having a hollow drum with an internal surface defining an internal cavity and a heater located in the internal cavity. The heater includes a reflector having a seal, and at least one heating element configured to generate heat and disposed between the reflector and the internal surface of the drum. The seal contacts the internal surface of the hollow drum to confine the generated heat within a space defined by the reflector and the internal surface of the drum.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heated drum assembly for use in a printer, the drum assembly comprising:
 a hollow drum including an internal surface defining an internal cavity; and 
 a heater located in the internal cavity, the heater including:
 a reflector having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall, each of the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls being operatively connected to provide a housing that defines a space to confine heat, each of the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls includes a panel having an end; 
 at least one seal operatively connected to the ends of the panels with the seal extending from the panels to contact the internal surface of the hollow drum and substantially span a gap between the panels and the internal surface of the hollow drum to confine heat within the space defined by the housing, the seal being deformable with applied pressure; and 
 at least one heating element disposed between the reflector and the internal surface of the hollow drum to generate heat within the space. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1 , the at least one seal further comprising:
 a first seal operatively connected to the first side wall that has a first configuration; and 
 a second seal operatively connected to the first end wall that has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration of the first seal. 
 
     
     
       3. The heated drum assembly of  claim 2  wherein the first configuration defines a substantially linear edge and the second configuration defines a curve adapted to contact a curvature of the internal surface of the drum. 
     
     
       4. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1 , the at least one seal further comprising:
 a connecting portion adapted to operatively connect the at least one seal to the edges of the panels of the first and second side wall and the first and second end walls. 
 
     
     
       5. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1 , the at least one seal further comprises one of a wiper, a brush and a tube. 
     
     
       6. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1 , the at least one seal further comprises a material including one of a plastic, a rubber, a metal, a foam, and a felt. 
     
     
       7. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1  wherein the panel and the seal comprise the same material. 
     
     
       8. The heated drum assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the panel and the seal being comprised of different materials. 
     
     
       9. A printer comprising:
 an image receiving member including a substantially cylindrical outer surface and an internal surface defining an internal cavity; 
 a heater that includes a housing having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall operatively connected to one another to provide the housing and a space within the housing, each of the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls include a panel having an end, the heater being located in the internal cavity to heat the internal surface of the image receiving member; 
 a seal operatively connected to each end of each panel of the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls, the seal contacts the internal surface to substantially confine heat within the space defined by the housing and the internal surface of the image receiving member, the seal being deformable with applied pressure; 
 a printhead, to deposit ink on the image receiving member, the printhead disposed adjacent to the image receiving member; and 
 a controller, operatively connected to the heater, the controller being configured to control an amount of heat generated by the heater in a warm-up mode, a standby mode and in a print mode. 
 
     
     
       10. The printer of  claim 9 , the seal further comprises one of a wiper, a brush, and a tube. 
     
     
       11. The printer of  claim 9 , the seal further comprises a material including one of plastic, rubber, metal, foam, and felt. 
     
     
       12. The printer of  claim 9 , the heater further includes at least two heating elements; and
 the housing further includes a divider separating one of the at least two heating elements from another of the at least two heating elements. 
 
     
     
       13. The printer of  claim 12  wherein the seal is operatively connected to the divider. 
     
     
       14. The printer of  claim 9  wherein the image receiving member is rotatably supported by a hub and the heater is fixedly located with respect to the hub.